Weightlifting gangster convicted of kidnapping and torturing two men is barred from Games

A gangster convicted of kidnapping and torturing two men, whom he beat ‘half to death’ with a baseball bat, was selected to represent Britain at the Paralympics.

Weight-lifter Paul Efayena, 34, took two asylum seekers hostage in a horrific ordeal in which they were stripped, electrocuted and forced to drink their own blood.

In 2006 Efayena was sentenced to nine years in prison for two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two of false imprisonment and one of blackmail.

Criminal past: Paralympic powerlifter Paul Efayena was sentenced to nine years in 2006 for GBH, false imprisonment and blackmail

But despite the heinous attack the South-London based weight-lifter was earlier this year cleared by Paralympics GB to compete in the Games.

Efayena took up the sport after losing his right leg above the knee in a near fatal motorcycle accident last year and joined the British Weightlifting team just six months ago. His linked in describes himself as ‘an extremely focused, target driven individual who always strives for perfection in whatever he does’

The former inmate has recently been trying to raise money for his training, claiming online that he joined the team too late to get official sponsors.

Convicted: After serving his term in prison the powerlifter lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident and took up the sport

Smith told the court in 2006 how a 'huge and muscular’ Efayena felled him with a single blow to the head with a baseball bat and tortured him with an electric stun gun.

'The huge guy then took a stun gun and gave me some sort of electric shock on the top of my arm. Then he kicked me.

'There were blows all over my body.

'The big black guy was striking me on my face and legs with the baseball bat. I held up my left arm to protect my face and in the process it was broken.

'They beat us almost half to death.’

A spokesman for ParalympicsGB said that the organisation had thought ‘long and hard’ about the decision to put Efayena forward but decided to go ahead on the basis that he was well integrated and popular with the team.

‘We felt there was room for discretion in the guidelines’, she said.

‘He has been competing with the team for a while and it’s our impression that he is rehabilitated.’

‘We accept the decision but are disappointed at this outcome.’

Last night Efayena was not at his ground floor Peckham council flat with heavily barred windows but when reached by phone declined to comment.

Spokesman for LOCOG and the Home Office said they could not comment on individual cases.